The Icy Soul
by thetreasures
Summary: The winter crept to Storybrooke sooner than everyone thought. Emma and Killian must work together again to find the cause of the phenomenon and stop it. But one of them fell into danger along the way, as the other person must believe in the triumph of love over wickedness. Based on H.C. Andersen's 'The Snow Queen' with a Frozen twist. Set right after season finale.
1. The Looking Glass (Prologue)

Prologue

The Looking-Glass

Once upon a time, there lived a famous wizard who was feared by almost everyone in the Enchanted Forest. He went by a famous moniker: the Dark One. Anyone who heard his name would be struck by fear. No sane person dared talk about him, let alone visit him. The only exception would be if there was no other way to solve a problem other than to ask for his help. There was one hobgoblin from Hell who was in that unfortunate situation, and he came down to the Enchanted Forest to do just that.

The hobgoblin visited the Dark One in his famed residence, a broad and luxurious palace by the river. He was not entirely amazed by it; his place in Hell was much more preferable to him rather than a dark, ominous, castle. After passing through the gate, he found himself face to face with the door, which was made from the most desirable wood ever to exist and without hesitation, knocked on it demandingly. Being impatient with the Dark One's slow response, he was ready to burn the whole thing down, but the magician's voice emerged just in time.

"Well, a simple greeting would have sufficed," the imp stated rhetorically, standing just a few steps away from the hobgoblin's back. "That door was made by the most powerful magic in the realm, and that is far beyond your fire capabilities."

The hobgoblin studied the Dark One's look with a slight disgust on his face. He had met the most terrible wizard on every realm, but none of them had ever looked half crocodile and half demon, like him. Putting on a mocking smile, he realized that the wizard had no idea who he was. "My fire comes from Hell. The darkest realm that even you fear, Dark One," the hobgoblin claimed proudly.

"So I noticed, Demon. We haven't been properly introduced. Rumplestiltskin," he presented with a bow, rolling the "r" on his tongue, "or as others know me, the Dark One. That alone means I have nothing to be scared of." He took a mocking step forward to the hobgoblin. He could see the vanity in the arrogant creature's eyes gradually fade away.

"I'm impressed by your confidence. Good thing, because I came to ask you a big favor," the hobgoblin said, for he knew that the he was the only powerful wizard who could help him.

"You're interested in a deal, I take it? Come all the way here from Hell. What is it you want?" Rumplestiltskin inquired.

"I need you to help me make this looking-glass work," he answered, while extracting a mirror with an exquisite carved edge in his hand. But there was no reflection shown by the magic mirror. "I made this mirror and gave it the power of making everything good or beautiful reflected in it shrivel up to nothing, while everything that was worthless and bad looked worse than ever."

"Why would you desire that, dearie?" Rumplestiltskin asked again, needing to know the motive behind that elaborate evil device.

In sudden, the expression of his face turned to hatred, one look Rumplestiltskin knew all too well. "Because I want to carry the mirror to heaven, making fools of the angels and God. But something's wrong with the glass. I already did everything I could but nothing could make it work."

"I see why you need my help," Rumplestiltskin agreed with a nod of his head. "But I'll warn you, all magic comes with a price. And you'll owe me a very big favor."

"Only if you can make this glass work," the hobgoblin challenged him again.

"There's one favor you need to pay me in return, I believe it's an easy task for you."

The hobgoblin, who couldn't wait to make the deal right away, rolled his eyes impatiently. He didn't expect that making a deal with Rumplestiltskin would be this tricky. "What does the Dark One want? Land? Gold?"

"No, what the Dark One wishes for is far more deathly than that." He said with cynical grin spread across his face. "Bring me the Snow Queen. And this wicked looking-glass shall be yours."

~oOo~

The hobgoblin took the newly working mirror back from the Dark One's palace, in exchange of an amphora that the Dark One expected holding the Snow Queen. However, when Rumplestiltskin released the amphora, nothing happened. Nothing showed up from there but dusts and dirt. The entire realm knows that no one breaks a deal with Rumplestiltskin. But the hobgoblin, who thought of his own so highly, was bold and ditched the deal to run away back to where he came from, Hell. Rumplestiltskin who was so raged, made a magic replacement from his palace, hoping it would affect the looking-glass.

"No one breaks deals with me, dearie—no one." Rumplestiltskin raged against the hobgoblin's falsehood. His hand threw away the amphora all the way to the end of the room. "No matter where you are, no matter what land you find yourself in, I assure you, you will not get what you want."

Meanwhile, in Hell, the hobgoblin had succeeded in bringing back the looking glass. He showed off to the demons. All who went there discussed the wonders they had seen, and declared that people could now, for the first time, see what the world and mankind were really like. They even brought the glass to heaven. But when they ran up to heaven, the more slippery the glass's edge became. Then it started to wobble very hard until it slipped from their hands and fell.

The glass was broken into million pieces, scattering around the realm and time. Some of the fragments were very small, as small as the tiniest flake of snow. And some were so large that they could be a used as window-panes. If one of the broken glasses were to fly into a person's eye, it would stick there without him knowing. From that moment on, he would see everything through a distorted medium, and therefore could only see the worst side of what he looked at. If it is stuck in their hearts, their hearts will become cold as of a lump of ice. They no longer recognize empathy or compassion. Any traces of love are overpowered by hate's dark force. All the wicked hobgoblins laughed at the mischief he had done. Their plan to mock heaven may not have succeeded, but this was far better. Now everyone could see the true beauty of their looks, they thought.

However, there were still a number of these little fragments of glass floating about in the thin air, and now you shall hear what happened with one of them, in Storybrooke.

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**A/N: **Thanks for reading! Feel free to ask some questions via PM or comment.


	2. A Pirate and a Princess: Part 1

Chapter 1  
A Pirate and a Princess: Part 1

The winter crept to Storybrooke sooner than everyone thought. The temperature felt as if it was already time for heavy storms, not light snowfall. Townspeople who weren't prepared before were all in concerned of their sustenance and the well-being of the city. They didn't know what caused the winter to come much earlier than usual, maybe it was the effect of the time portal after all.

Granny's diner still looked like most normal nights, people come and go, grumbling about the unusual weather. In one of these filled tables in the diner, sat two people who had nothing but hot chocolate with cinnamon on their table. They were not husband and wife, or a couple on a date night. They were just sitting there, with the most recognizable concerned look on their face.

She was the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming, and the other person was the notorious one-handed pirate whom everyone believes has redeemed himself and become a hero. Their names were Emma Swan and Killian Jones (or more widely known by his famous moniker, Captain Hook). Emma looked at the counter, watching a family who was eating there laugh effortlessly. It was not disgust on her face, but more of a look of regret .

"No, Swan, it isn't your fault. Stop blaming yourself for a day, will you?" Hook asked, for he knew she wouldn't stop doing it.

"I don't know whether to be happy for their reunion or to feel sorry for Regina," the blonde replied. Her brow furrowed with the thought of herself being the one who destroyed the Queen's second chance by bringing back Maid Marian. She believed saving her life was what a savior would do, but with the lack of realizing the consequences, it turned out to be a disaster instead. "Every single day everyone reminded me of being the savior. But since yesterday it seems like I'm the opposite of it."

"You will find a way to fix this, I've yet to see you fail, remember?" Hook said, his blue eyes fixed upon her green ones. The gesture was followed with a supportive nod.

"But how? I can't make another time portal just to shut her back to the past." Emma snapped back.

Hook glanced down at his hot chocolate mug, holding the grip of it, before moving his sight to her again. "One thing I learned from your parents is that true love isn't easy. It must be fought for," he reminded her. "Regina and Robin will find a way back to each other."

"How do you know for sure if their love is true love?" There was still concern sitting in those infinite green eyes, although his manner of speaking had made her sure of something before. "We haven't seen anything spectacular from them."

One thing the pirate realized from the very beginning was that he could always read her like an open book. She might have believed in magic, but for her to believe in something that is much more complex and indefinitely indescribable such as true love was still hard. "One day you must stop searching for evidence to believe in something, love. You must simply believe," he told her, sipping his hot chocolate, which had gotten significantly colder.

"Like you believing in our kiss in New York?" her face started to loosen up and now concealed a playful smile.

It was the look Hook had rarely seen in the past few days. He smiled back just as delightedly. "It's worth a try to use Prince Charming tactics, aye?"

"Wow, you and David really are getting along now," Emma marveled, leaning back in her chair.

"Especially after he gave me his blessing to court his daughter." He gave her a deeper look than before, while silently cursing himself for saying that.  
She felt a drastic change of atmosphere between them, and with a subtle look she replied, "Hook," she said, as if she was reminding him of something. "I'm not ready to jump into that kind of thing, not yet."

Her answer didn't shock or impact him or anything, because he already knew what her answer would be, although it disappointed him a bit every time he heard it. "I know." He gave her a faint smile before looking back down to the chocolate mug in front of him that's been ignored for the remainder of their conversation. He wished it hot, wished that the burning of the liquid falling down his throat could distract him from his pain.

A sympathetic smile curved on Emma's lips, before someone from the door drew her attention. Two people came in the diner, accompanied with a ring of bell that filled the whole room. Hook looked up to see Mr. Gold and Belle hand in hand, walking together towards the counter.

"It's Mr. Gold, maybe he knows something that can help us," Emma pointed out, standing and walking towards them, Hook close behind.

Mr. Gold was surprised to see her suddenly standing in front of him and his new wife. Emma, who noticed the uneasy look in his eye, tried to open the conversation in the most polite way an Emma Swan could afford. "We're sorry to interrupt your, um, wonderful dinner time, but we—I mean, I did something that might affect the future."

"Why am I not surprised, Ms. Swan?" His dark eyes filled with cynicism. "What did you do?"

"I brought someone from the past. It turned out she was Robin Hood's wife who's supposed to be dead." Emma answered carefully. "You know who he is to Regina, right?"

"So, I've noticed. A trip to the past could have catastrophic repercussions, including the sudden winter," he explained.

Her shocked face turned to meet Hook, who reflected her expression. "Wait, is this also an effect from the trip?" she asked, shocked by what she had just discovered.

"It all happened just shortly after you two came back from the past. That is the most reasonable theory I've had," Gold told them. "I might have something in my shop that can help you find out about this unusual winter. But bringing Marian to the future? You made that mess, now go undo it."

~oOo~

Emma and Hook trudged in the depth of snow behind their boots, towards Gold's shop. The weather seemed to be really against them since snowstorm had suddenly started as they departed Granny's. All the beautiful roses in front of the diner were covered in a heavy layer of snow, leaving no sign of life under it. Emma, who was already wearing her thick red coat was still very much freezing underneath it.

"Whoever did this mess, I'll set them on the stove and melt them along with this bloody winter," Hook cursed.

She laughed lightly, before she was remembered the other problem they had to fix. "And then sort out the solution to another mess."

"Swan, listen to me. I know you feel guilty, and so do I," he said, stopping in his tracks. His gaze turned to meet hers with the genuine look he gave her during moments of truth. "But I don't let it haunt my mind, because I believe that you can find a way. We can find a way."

"What would you said that?" she asked.

He answered, without a doubt, "Sometimes you just needed reminding that you could."

A sincere smile lightened her face. With more determination, she led the walk again. "Now let's bring this freezer down." Hook followed the princess like he always did, anywhere and anytime.

The snowstorm was getting heavier throughout their journey. However, they still managed to reach the Gold's shop. Emma put the key inside of the locked door, when out of the blue, Hook winced out in pain. She left the front door and immediately approached helpless Hook behind her lying on the ground. "Killian?"

Hook felt something strike his eyes and heart at the same time, the pain from it stayed still for a brief moment before he finally can open his eyes. There was something in his eyes that he couldn't reach out by rubbing it, "I think there is something in my eye."

Her arm wrapped around his neck, and her stare fixed on his eye. She could see nothing but how beautifully blue his eyes were. "I found nothing in there."

"I think it is gone. It's probably just the snow," he said, brushing it off and trying to stand back up with the help of Emma's arm still tightly round him. But with a swift movement he distanced himself from her embrace, discarding how frightened Emma was for the sudden fall. "No need to hold me, really. I'm fine," he deadpanned.

But it was not gone from his eyes; neither of them knew it was one of those bits of the looking-glass—that magic mirror, of which fell through from the hobgoblin's grip—the ugly glass which made everything great and good appear small and ugly, while all that was wicked and bad became more visible, and every little fault could be plainly seen. Hook had also received a small grain in his heart, which very quickly turned to a lump of ice. He felt no more pain, but the glass was there still.

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**P.S.** We appreciate any inquiries or constructive criticisms. Please leave a review to let us know what you think!

**_Edit:_** _We_'_ve finally found a beta reader who's interested in this story. Thank you so much **OEAvery** for being a beta reader for us, we're very grateful :)__  
_


	3. A Pirate and a Princess: Part 2

Chapter 2

A Pirate and a Princess: Part 2

A ringing of a bell broke the silence in Gold's shop. The darkness still accompanied Emma and Hook as the cold and quiet environment creeped them out when they stepped in. Emma found the light switch, and turned on the lamp. Everything became clear, and she started scanning the whole shop looking for a clue.

Hook, on the other hand, slouched on the door lazily, watching Emma from afar unfolded every drawer from the rack. His eyes showed nothing but uninterested, a look he did not show a moment ago. "What are you looking for?"

"A clue, or anything that might lead us to an answer," she responded.

His eyes were staring out at the window, as if there was more fascinating view outside of the shop. "In defrosting the winter? Well, good luck with that," he scoffed. "Look in this glass, lass," said he; and she saw from a window close to her position, how every flake of snow was magnified, and looked like a beautiful flower or a glittering star.

"Is it not clever?" Hook added, "And much more interesting than looking at real flowers. There is not a single fault in it, and the snow-flakes are quite perfect till they begin to melt."

It was not the answer he generally gave in a moment like this, plus the babbling of his admiration to snow flakes, she thought. She stopped the searching and gazed at him, "Would you mind lending me a hand?"

His expression changed to bothered by her request, something Emma had never seen before, or at least, directed towards her. When he lifted up his hook, he responded, "I already lost one, why should I lend you the other?"

The puzzled Emma remained calm despite her rage towards Hook's unusual attitude. She turned away from him, continuing the quest through Gold's magical stuff. "Why so glum, Hook?" she joked.

"Why so driven, lass?" he deadpanned.

"Because I believe we're responsible in fixing the effect of our journey from the past," Emma answered without even turning back to him.

A snort slipped out of his mouth, mocking her answer. "We? Sorry but you did this. This was all because of your lack of realizing consequences."

His answer straightly made her stand up and faced the glum pirate in front of the door. She furrowed her brow, trying to figure out why he was acting this way. "Hook, what's wrong with you? You're acting like a teenager mad at his mother."

"The weather is wrong, and that pout of yours, stop it. It contorts your face." he answered without hesitation.

The way he responded to her had successfully taken aback Emma Swan. Since Neverland, even before that, Killian Jones was always the one who would praise and encourage her. She appeared to dislike it, but deep down she relished it and became used to it every single day. Sadly, that record had been broken.

"Rather than staring at each other, you two should more focus on the work you're planning on." a familiar voice emerged besides the front door.

"Mr. Gold." Emma jumped in surprise before speaking again, "Yes, we're just getting started."

She glanced back at Hook who was currently heading to the front door, prepared to leave. "And I was just leaving. I hope that you find what you're looking for, lass," he uttered before twisting the door knob.

"Hey, what the hell are you doing?!" Emma shouted, but the only answer she received was the door slamming in her face. He walked outside the shop as the bell on the door made a loud clank.

"A pirate and a bad mood don't mix well, I assumed." Mr. Gold stated.

"Well, with him or not, the work must go on," Emma replied, looking, perplexed, at the closed door. The reaction varied hugely from the one shown by Hook in Neverland, where he put his needs aside and acted all helpful. She wondered silently what made him change this much.

And when Emma glanced over the window, which has covered with frost, she saw odd snow-flakes becoming larger and larger. All at once they sprang on one side and started to form a body. Gradually it became more and more visible to her, until it was a lady, tall and made from snow, standing before her. She turned to look for Mr. Gold to question what she was just seeing. But no one was there, and she was alone all over again. And then, the lady by the window vanished into thin air.

~oOo~

The next afternoon, Hook went to the diner as he usually did. Instead of ordering the usual hot chocolate with cinnamon, he drank his rum in the diner's counter. No one was with him now, unlike the last time he went there. But the solitude didn't bother him at all. He craved it instead.

He enjoyed the loneliness he found himself in. It was a feeling he hadn't experienced since the first day he arrived in Storybrooke with Cora. There was something, or someone in this town that made the sensation go away. But now, the sense was crawling back to him as if it had never gone anywhere.

The ringing of bell filled up the quiet diner in the afternoon. Snow White and her newly born baby, Neal, stepped into the diner with a radiant smile. Such a beautiful view for normal people who walked past them, but it wasn't for Hook. He was disgusted by the sight so much that he had to turn away from the door and leave the diner to finish his drink.

Unfortunately, he wasn't fast enough. Snow spotted him and yelled, "It's Captain Hook! Say hi to the pirate captain."

Hook wanted to reveal how disgusted he was with the sight of them, but something held it back. He then replied with a faint smile and headed back to the door. "Sad, sad child who couldn't do anything besides being such a troublesome," he grumbled to himself.

"What the hell was that? You owe me an explanation to your repugnant attitude." A familiar orotund voice emerged right behind him, making him stopped his track. Emma continued. "What are you not telling me again?" she demanded. "A curse on your nose? On your eyes?"

He turned to see Emma stared at him, with tension seen visibly in her neck. How come this woman was everywhere? He deliberated. "Nothing, now, why don't you stop being so annoyingly inquisitive."

Just as this moment, Robin Hood, Marian, and their son came into the diner. Robin gave Emma a grateful smile, as per usual since she brought Marian back. But Emma could just counter his by spreading her lips into a thin line, thinking about how sinful she is if she's going to bring back Marian where she belongs just after reunited her with their family.

She sighed, before her murmuring to herself, "That's why it's the hardest thing to fix that matters."

Hook, who was watching them too, stared back at Emma with disinterest. "It's not your concern to meddle their relationship, lass. Just let it go."

He said the words as if he didn't remember what he had said to her yesterday. Hook's supportive words always unwantedly replaying on her mind the moment she needed it. Unfortunately she hadn't forgotten it even in the situation like this, making her want to punch him in the face. "You said I would find a way, why the sudden change of mind?"

"It was more the change of heart. I just don't feeling that way anymore." He turned his head down, looking slightly at his hook. The lack of utter disgust towards the object confused him.

She tilted her head with a faint smile. "Yeah, not feeling anything is an attractive option when what you feel sucks. I get that."

Not a sound came from Hook's mouth, just a puzzled look. He then chased her before she headed back to the diner's counter. "But I don't feel such things either, lass."

It had been a long time since Emma did that, just stopped feeling all together. A few days ago, they were on a journey, facing the danger together and having some heart-to-heart talks. It was a suicide act if she reverted to that state and built up her walls again. Looking at the incomprehensible situation they were in, Emma was conflicted by whether to continue opening up and let him in, or begin to build her defenses brick by brick after having them torn down.

A moment later, she began to envy him, not having his heart broken. And then she was reminded of someone who didn't feel anything either. _Graham_, she thought. "Is it your heart that has been taken?" Emma, who had been quite far from him, rushed and put her hand on his chest. One touch she and at once she pulled back. He was cold. "Your heart, it's cold. You're freezing."

Without further thinking, she grabbed her red coat from the hanger beside her and draped it over his shoulders. "There's no need, lass." He brushed it away, leaving a wounded look on her face. "I prefer my dashing clothes, thank you."

It hurt her to see Hook was shutting her out, the opposite of what he was doing all this time. Maybe, this was the feeling when she did the same to him back then. Now it was her turn to start doing the same thing to him, "But you're as cold as ice! Come on, we can go to Mary Margaret's apartment to keep us warm." She ignored his terrible manner and rushed to the door.

"Swan!" he called, and she froze in her tracks. "Why are you really doing this?"

She turned back to see his uncertain look. With an assuring gaze, she gave him a small smile. "Do you think I'd leave you freezing to death here?"

"Let me fetch my new boots first, I'll catch up later," he replied with a slight nod and headed towards the door. The act she just showed somehow successfully melted a small part of the ice in his heart. He didn't like the weird sensation she just gave him, so without even take a last glance to Emma, he left.

"Goddammit, Hook," she said to him, without knowing whether he heard it or not. As Hook stepped outside the diner, he was welcomed by the snowstorm that had been raging. Emma noticed something odd on the back of his head. A small part of his hair had already turned white.

~oOo~

It was still in the afternoon but the sky was already getting dark as if it were the middle of the night, probably due to the snowstorm that hit them earlier in the morning. Hook didn't care about them much, as he was only thinking back how that woman on the diner has made him feel something. She must have had very powerful magic to have successfully made me feel again, he thought.

Upon his arrival in the port, he grabbed his boots and his satchel and he took a last glance at the sea. How he missed being with his ship, the Jolly Roger, adventuring. Sadly, somehow he couldn't remember what exact reason to make him surrender his ship to the other pirate. If he sacrificed something as important as his ship, he believed he must have been taken advantage of during a weak moment.

Hook was heading to the town when something made him slip on the ice. He fell into platform by the sea, and with gasping breaths, he tried to surface just before he spotted someone was in front of him. The view was getting clearer. It was a woman, dressed in a blue sparkly dress that matched with the pure white of snow. He looked at her, and saw that she was so beautiful, he could not imagine a more lovely and intelligent face; she did not now seem to be made of ice. In his eyes she was perfect, and she did not feel at all afraid. Her hair was such a white blond that it shocked him, for never before had he seen hair so lustrous.

"Who are you?" he asked, visibly puzzled. "Have we met before?"

The woman just laughed. She did expect what would come out from his mouth. "You are not someone I would simply forget, though we haven't met before."

"As a pirate, I do have a lot of unknown enemies," he declared with a whimsical smile, "It would be appropriate if you tell me what kind of thing you are."

"So eager to get to know me, Captain?" she teased. "I am not your enemy. I'm Elsa, just a guest in this town."

Hook stared at her, studying from her head to toe. She was clearly not someone from this town, or this land without magic. "What brings you here?"

"Luck, I guess. This lovely town just happened to emerge in front of me."

Elsa took a step toward Hook, as she noticed his trembling hand due to the snowstorm. "Poor captain, you're freezing." Her lips then touched his, as her hand rubbed the back of his hair. Hook tried to get away but somehow his body managed to prevent that and still stiffly stood. The kiss felt colder than ice; it went quite through to his heart, which was already almost frozen. As the kiss continued, he felt as if he was going to die, but when she pulled back from him he seemed quite well again and did not notice the cold around him.

"Feel better?" Elsa asked.

"Aye," he shortly answered. Elsa then raised a hand, and snow exploded out of it. It flew towards the sea in front of them. The snow turned into a measured formation, and then gradually shaped itself. With a light hand movement, the twirling wind around it disappeared. It was obvious now that it was an enormous ice ship that emerged in front of them. "Is that a ship you just made?" Hook asked.

His eyes beamed by the sudden magic in front of him. The ship was far larger than the Jolly Roger, and made from the crystal ice. The edge was beautifully carved and illustrated a hook at the front side. It all seemed unreal to him, it was more like a vivid dream. Yet the beaming of his eyes wasn't for the beautiful ship in front of him, but for her power over winter instead. Not a single beautiful corner of the ship could grip his interest, it was a horrible and distracting view to him. And Elsa seemed to forget about it.

"Yes. Isn't it a marvelous ship, Captain? Better than the Jolly Roger, I bet." Elsa smiled with much pride, looking at the breathtaking sight, glancing over Hook to see his reaction, and soon realizing that this did nothing to appeal to him. "Ah, it isn't that astounding to you."

"Your magic is astounding, controlling the ice and snow and all that. Alas, this ship was nothing but appalling. How could the ice which also made from the water can float in the water? And this slippery material is inappropriate for a vessel like this." Hook grunted, scolding the ship in front of them.

"You are too smart for your own good." A tender smile slipped on her lips as she replied confidently, "However, you never know if you haven't tried to sail it, right?" She held out her hand, inviting him to join her to the ship.

"What is it you want exactly?" Hook asked with a distrust look visible on his face.

"Before telling my tale, coming with me for a small travel wouldn't hurt."

He glanced back to the harbor for the last time until he finally accepted Elsa's hand and felt the chill spread from her to him. At first he questioned the ship's strength until he reached it and studied every inch of the bricks. The more he studied the ship, the more he acknowledge his longing for the sea.

She persuaded him by showing the marvelous deck. In that moment, he just forgot about Storybrooke and all of its people. His frozen heart had taken him over more than he realized. He finally took over the ship and sailed it to a place shown by a map near the wheel.

Watching him from behind, Elsa sensed her plan may not be working the way she first planned. But this was far better, revealing a complacent smile as the ice ship sailed from the harbor. She looked round the vast expanse as she sailed further and further with him upon a black cloud, while the storm blew and howled as if it were singing old songs; the wolves howled and the snow crackled; over them flew the black screaming crows, and above all shone the moon, clear and bright—and so Hook passed through the long winter's night.

* * *

**A/N: **Leave a review about what you think/constructive criticism, I totally appreciate it. Big thank you for **OEAvery** as a beta reader and for your opinion/meta.

And today we just got an official cast news for Elsa: **Georgia Heig.** Not expecting that one, but she is perfect for the role, isn't she? she was so great on Fringe and I'm satisfied with the casting! Can't wait 'til the premiere (which always happens on my birthday, what a gift!)


	4. The Ice Castle & a Woman Who Can Bewitch

Chapter 3

The Ice Castle and a Woman Who Can Bewitch

No one in Storybrooke knew what caused Hook's absence. They didn't know what had become of him, nor could anyone give the slightest of information, with the exception of his crew, who said that he had gone to the harbor to fetch his boots. Which were actually found scattered around the platform by the sea. Nobody knew how they appeared there; many said he was slipped in the ice and drowned in the sea, or he was kidnapped by another pirate who happened to be at the harbor which was nonsense.

"He is probably dead and gone," Grumpy concluded, standing in the middle of a meeting in the diner. "There's no way he could've been survive in this cold weather outdoors in three days."

As the first person who noticed the missing of Hook, Emma was the head of the search party. She kept her head up in leading the team, although deep in her heart she knew the potential of failing if he has already died. Everyone who she had ever loved seemed to have gone away from her, except for Hook. He had always been the one who could find a way back to her, until this day. And she had taken advantage of that until it was taken away from her.

If Hook had the same fate as every guy who ever completely loved Emma Swan, it would be brick walls that were indestructible, making it hard or impossible for her to open up to love again. She was right all along, a happy ending isn't a thing for the Savior. "It has only been three days, not like he's been gone for three years." Emma added.

"But Mr. Smee here has searched the ocean himself and found nothing. Isn't that right, Mr. Smee?" Grumpy added, looking at his right side, where Smee and a couple of his crewmen stood.

"Yes, my crew and I have put all the effort to find our beloved captain, we've sailed in these extremes and I'm afraid, he has indeed gone." Mr. Smee said, looking drearier than he used to.

Regina, who was standing in the back of the group finally emerged to say some words, "Ms. Swan, I believe we have a bigger problem that we need to focus on rather than searching for someone who exactly is… lost to only God knows where."

"Yes, he was out there for three days, but what if he isn't in the outside? He could've been anywhere and we just haven't found a clue," she fired back defensively. She was well aware optimism skipped a generation in her family, but this time, she just knew she mustn't give up finding him in such a short time. "I know we still have to figure out the whole weather thing but I want to make this mission last for at least a week. If he still hasn't showed up, then, I have lost him."

David nodded to Grumpy and other dwarfs, as they walked out of the group, meaning the end of the meeting. Everyone left their place except Emma, who was stumbling back to the counter behind her. Her hands were trembling since the beginning of the meeting, concerned about the progress, but she perfectly hid it behind his jeans pocket until now. The whole searching and worrying for Hook had already tired her. She was done with the feeling of losing the people she had opened up her heart to. Along with the loss of the thought of getting a happy ending in Storybrooke.

"You okay, Emma?" David walked towards her, studying her sudden change of expression.

Emma, once again, tried covering her true feelings but failed miserably, "Yeah, I-I'm fine."

"You're not the only one with the superpower to tell lies, you know," he replied, twitching the corner of his mouth.

Emma sighed at the answer from her father, "Well, if you already know the answer, don't bother to ask, Dad." A brief moment of silence fell between them, before she finally looked up to see David and meaningfully said, "Sorry, it just took time to accept that I had lost him." Because he was the one who always came back to her, she wanted to add.

David stared at his daughter, somehow she reflected the same expression that he recognized very well in the mirror back in those desperate times. Like father like daughter, he thought. But the presence of Regina suddenly emerged in front of them, right at the time David wanted to say something, "Excuse us for a moment. I have something to talk about with the sheriff," she said politely. Deep down, Emma was grateful Regina butted in during the conversation she wasn't comfortable talking about with her father. David nodded comprehendingly, then Regina continued to talk to Emma, "I'm sorry to hear your loss but I seemed to recall we have another bigger problem—this dreadful weather—which needs our concern."

"Deep down you must be glad that my sin has been paid off without you having to intrude." she quietly responded, but Regina was well aware enough to hear it. "How many times do I have to apologize to make you believe how sorry I am, Regina?" Emma sincerely said.

"My happiness was torn off from me because of your lack of realizing the consequences, just like your mother," Regina uttered, followed with a shoot of serious gaze from her eyes. She then added, "You're lucky I am not the same woman that I was back then."

"Yeah, like killing an innocent woman like Marian who clearly didn't deserve it," Emma sputtered angrily before finally regretting her action. She was indeed too tired for a conversation at the moment, "But we both know for sure you aren't that kind of—"

A completely shocked expression on Regina's face was the response to it. She still didn't believe what she just heard, she was supposed to be the killer of Robin's wife, "Wait, I killed Marian?" she butted in.

"You almost killed her. I saved her from you. I thought you remembered."

Regina was silent a while, trying to process a news she just heard of. She was perfectly understood how different she was back then. But it would be a gruesome if she was the reason behind Robin's dead wife. "It doesn't matter now, does it? She is safe and sound now in Storybrooke, reunited back with her family," she said, slightly bowing before finally lifted her head again. "While we lost our second chances."

"And I need someone to tell me that it isn't true," she muttered under her breath. "In the meantime, I'll find the reason behind this unusual winter."

It didn't matter how much Emma despised Hook in the past, she couldn't lie about enjoying his presence around her. She first realized it when Hook refused to celebrate his work in uniting Ariel and his prince. How odd it was to see him behave like that although the reason turned out to be Zelena's curse on his lips. But now he was gone, lost to the unknown place. With no certainty would he be able to come back to her like he always did. She wanted that to happen so badly—him coming back to her. But her heart was already tired of trying the optimism taught by her parents. At least she tried, she thought.

Mr. Gold suddenly entered the diner hurriedly, making the bell ring very loud. His gaze was scanning the diner as everyone turned their eyes to find him stopped in the front door, but they continued back to do what they were doing before. Everyone but Emma and Regina, since they realized Mr. Gold was walking towards them. "Mr. Gold, you're late for the meeting," Regina said.

"I'm here to meet Ms. Swan," he replied, gazing at Emma as he continued his talk. "Your wish may just be granted. He might still be alive."

Her heavy stare at Mr. Gold suddenly lit up and filled with hope. Thought of his news would be about this never crossed her mind, since Rumplestiltskin had no concern for Hook, let alone trying to find him. "Are you sure? How did you know that?"

"You once said his hair was changing into white, I know who make it happened." He said, "This endless winter is also the repercussion of her presence in Storybrooke."

"Who the hell is this unwanted guest in Storybrooke?" Regina grunted in reply.

"The amphora that Miss Swan found in my shop yesterday was a fake one. The real amphora that I bought at the black pirate market was used to hold the one behind all of this, the snow queen of Arandelle, Elsa," he explained, as the both eyes of two people in front of him stared him very seriously. "Alas, I doubt he is still safe in her grip, since white hair means a frozen heart. If not removed, the ice will freeze him forever."

The Snow Queen was not a story from her childhood that Emma could simply forget. A queen who could turn anything into snow and liked to kidnap children. But she was completely sure she was not the character she remembered as a kid, likewise Peter Pan and Hook backstory. "That Snow Queen? Well, that was anticlimactic. That Queen does nothing but run away from her kingdom, what a waste," Regina lamented sarcastically, rolling her eyes.

"But she has power, Regina. She can build an ice castle wherever she wants to. Her magic is something that even she and I cannot control," he added, sounding very convincing though it was the Dark One who admitted it.

"Where do I find this—Elsa?" Emma asked.

He took the time to recall his memory before answering her question, "I don't even know how she got here. Last time I remember she was locked at the dark prison of my castle, the place where I kept something unexpected or dark."

The dark prison somehow sounded familiar to Emma, "Your dark prison? I-I was in your dark prison once, just before I opened a portal here. Which means—" she uttered, finally coming to realization. "I brought her here."

"Great, you brought exactly the souvenir that Storybrooke needs, another creature from hell," Regina snapped with a cynical snort.

Mr. Gold turned his gaze to Emma again, before continued the information, "One thing I remembered, she prefers solitude more than anything else. She might be in a place with no crowd at all. Like the mountain, the sea or the forest."

"Since Hook has gone missing when he was near the sea, I think I'll start with it first. Thanks for the information, Mr. Gold. I really appreciate the help." Emma said, followed by a nod from Mr. Gold and he left them. She then turned to face Regina, "I'll start right away after I say goodbye to Henry."

Emma immediately scanned the crowd in the diner, she knew Henry would be here. He never wanted to miss out the progress of the mission even though he wasn't a part of the team. Then she spotted Henry, sitting alone on the table with a French fries and hot chocolate with cinnamon, their favorite drink. Emma walked out to his table, followed by Regina behind her, "Henry, there are some news that might surprise you." She said as she sit in front of him.

He lit up his face as he looked up at both of his mothers. Henry knew what's going on with Emma and Regina recently and he was relief to see two of them still can cooperate with peace. "Hey, Mom! What is it?"

Emma sighed before she started to tell him, "The Snow Queen is real, I accidentally brought her here from the past and she is probably the one who kidnapped Hook," she explained, but not an expression shown up on his face as the response. "You aren't surprised?"

"Of course it is real! Every fairytale you know is real, Mom." Henry then smiled at his mother's ignorance. "We're going to save Killian, right?" he asked, for he knew Emma would always trying to rescue him from whatever danger.

"Yes, and bring back summer to Storybrooke, which means I will be gone in a pretty long time," she answered with certainty, "You're going to stay with Regina, don't go anywhere else."

"What? I can't go with you on Operation Tarantula?" Henry grunted at the idea.

"Tarantula?" Emma asked skeptically.

"Just go with it, mom." Henry paused. "So, can I?"

"No, it's too dangerous," she replied, then turned her head to talk to Regina. "And Regina, I'll go to heaven and hell to fix all the problems I've made."

For a moment Regina somehow believed her, since it was hard for her to trust Emma on this mission, in case she was going to do something without thinking of the consequences again. "Make sure you are. And be careful, even the Dark One can't control her."

Emma nodded in response as Regina walked away from them, "Okay, kid, I should—"

"Wait, Mom, I've been looking for a new apartment on the newspaper ads and how about we rent that one near the sea with a view?" Henry butted in swiftly, spluttered all of his thoughts at once.

She stared at her kid for a while, not expecting what she just heard. And did he just say near the sea? "Well, we could always rent the apartment near Mary Margaret's, there's no need to rent that far away if you don't have any good reason."

"Oh, I certainly do," he promised, beaming.

"We'll talk apartments later, Kid," she replied, standing up from the chair to leave the table.

Before his mother could get a chance to go, Henry reached for her hand, preventing her from leaving just yet. "Mom, you deserve a happy ending. Everyone deserves a happy ending," he said, now with more serious tone.

It was a lie if Emma Swan wasn't surprised from what she just heard came out from Henry's mouth. He was right, though, and Emma in some moment didn't believe in happy endings. They fell into silence a while, with Emma staring down at her son, who had grown up more than she realized. With a sincere smile she replied, "I already got my happy ending. You are safe here with me in Storybrooke, nothing else matters."

Henry rolled her eyes and giggled, "No, I mean in another way, in the romantic way."

Her mind was contemplating about telling what she really felt about it, but Henry was old enough to listen about her beneath her walls. Without Hook, who was the one she could open up to? "You know, being the Savior can't always get me everything that I want. And maybe it isn't in the card for the Savior, Henry," she said carefully.

"It is if you start believing in it!" Henry cried, "No one knows their true love before, neither did Snow White when she stole Prince Charming's ring." His eyes were full of hope, and Emma couldn't really decipher what he was hoping for.

"Yes, I've seen their meeting real-time. I know the story. In fact, I am the part of the story," she uttered, patting his head. He was true all over again, somehow their parent's meeting was like a Deja vu to her. It wasn't unfamiliar like she had also been through it out but she always tried denying that. "Anyway, I should go now, be safe, Henry." Her mouth twitched into a hearty smile before she left the table and headed to the door.

Before she exited the diner, she looked around once more, and she spotted her mom, her newborn brother and her dad sitting at one of the diner's table. They were reading the fairytale book, just like they always did. She just realized she hadn't had a proper farewell to them, in case the journey would be going to last longer than she planned to or something made her failed to come back. She rushed towards their table, startling Mary Margaret who was reading. "Emma! What's going on?" she greeted, with a warm smile that always made Emma comfortable somehow.

"I'm going away for a while. Mr. Gold has found the reason behind this unusual weather and Hook's disappearance," she then explained.

A concerned look now clearly visible on their faces, but it was her father who immediately responded, "What is it? And you're going alone?"

"It's the Snow Queen or the queen of Arandelle, I'm still unfamiliar with her. Yes, I'll set her in a stove and melt her with the winter," she answered.

David stood up from the table, preparing to leave and grabbed his satchel beside him, "I'm going with you and—,"

"No, no, David, you're in charge now as the sheriff and protecting mom and Neal. The danger of her still stands here," she butted in, stopping her father to arise from his seat. "And I can take care of myself."

"I know you can," her mother said with a proud look that she always gave to Emma. David looked at them and smiled, "You're strong and clever, just like your mother. But still, be careful, Emma. The snowstorm is still going and has been nonstop since the morning."

She nodded, saying the goodbyes and headed to the door. As soon as she stepped outside the diner, the warm and comfortable atmosphere was gone. When the closed door, the air was cold, the wind was sharp, and she was greeted by nothing but snowstorm.

~o~

_Three days ago_

After a while of travelling through the Storybrooke's sea that he has encompassed long time ago, the ship anchored at a simple port that was also made from ice. Not another thing visible on his eyes but ice and snow. He started to believe she was a winter witch, but he kept the thought to himself until the very right time to confront her. Until now, he had no idea what kind of thing she really was.

However there were no other small talks until they walked towards a big castle, which was also made by sparkling crystal ice. It was beautifully horrifying. The icicles on the porch bigger than a dragon's teeth, but as sharp as it. He somehow felt the atmosphere had changed completely from the ship into this frosty castle.

"You have sailed well, Captain. We should do this more often," Elsa started as they got off the ship, approaching the front door of the castle. She then opened the door for him, welcoming him with before she finally stepped into it.

"I never recalled this place existing in Storybrooke's bay," he muttered, looking at the crystal ice that built the sturdy castle around him.

A charismatic smile curved on Elsa's lips, "You didn't, because I made it just a couple of days ago." She answered, "But it hasn't nearly finished. I'm still working with the entryway so no one can steal anything from my castle."

"You built this castle in just a couple of days?" he looked shocked at the fact she just declared, then walked around the hall of the castle. "Well, you must be a match for Rumplestiltskin."

"That name sounds familiar to me. You close to him, Captain?" she asked as she followed him.

"He was one hell of a foe." Killian kept walking to the deeper place of the castle, hoping she would stop following him. But when he turned back his head, she was already there, walking effortlessly right behind him. "Alas, he and I seemed to have buried the hatchet. So there's nothing more to the story, really."

Elsa didn't say a word for a while, letting him enjoy the tour he was going on at the moment, "From what I've heard, no one can make peace with him. How did you do it?" she finally asked.

Right after that, he stopped his track and turned back to face Elsa who clearly was curious to hear his answer. "It isn't commensurate if you want to know my tale when you haven't even told me yours," he said.

"I'm sorry, but if you want to be the second person in this town who learnt about it," she smiled gracefully as the respond, "I have to do this." With a flick of her hand, the sound of locked windows and doors filled up the castle.

Killian, who was aware of what was going on, immediately rushed to the front door and tried to open it, which failed miserably. "What the bloody hell are you doing?" he exclaimed, as he kicked the locked door. "You said this was a small travel, I have some people waiting for me in town."

"Soon you'll forget about her, Captain. The thought will never bother you again," she calmly answered, expecting that kind of response from him.

He turned to meet the Snow Queen's gaze and walked towards her until their distance was just a couple of inches. He then stared at her in the eyes as he replied, "I don't bloody care about your tale, your needs in Storybrooke, or even her. I want my freedom."

"Whether you care or not, you're already in this, Hook. Look at the back of your hair."

Hook walked closer to one of the ice columns and looked at the back of her head on it. Part of his hair has turned white, and when his finger was greeted with cold sensation when he touched it. "And you already painted my hair. Are you trying to turn me into one of your puppets?"

"I didn't do it. You were struck by a magical glass, and it will lead you being frozen to death in no time. Fortunately, I can slow it down a bit with my kiss," she explained.

"Your kiss?" he asked as he gazed to the Snow Queen again. With fake teasing stare, he coyly said, "If you're so desperate in getting a pirate's affection, you just needed to ask. There's more enjoyable way than this."

Her mouth constantly quirked at the corner as the response. This pirate would be great company, she thought. "Careful there, Captain. My kiss is not like any other kiss, the first is letting you forget how the cold feels, and same with the second kiss in addition you will forget everyone you love, whom I assume is none."

His body was stiff in sudden as he thought of people he loved. She was right, it was none. There was no one in his memory that matched the description. Except for that one woman in the diner that suddenly flashed through his mind, which made him confused all this time. But the thought vanished again, as he snapped back to the reality when Elsa continued, "And the third kiss, it's going to take your breath away until you forget how to breathe again."

"How is that helping me? I will be dead by tomorrow whether I rot in this bitter castle or not," he grunted.

"I presumed in this catastrophic winter, the people only care for saving themselves first," she then answered soothingly, "But I wouldn't do that. I will put a spell on my kiss so it can affect you much longer." He could see the sincerity and honesty in her eyes and he knew for sure she would do it.

Her twisted words may sound simple, but all magic came with a price, he reminded himself. "And there is something peculiar you want in return, aye?" he asked, raising his brow.

"There's nothing peculiar. I just needed company from this town to tell me some tales," she assured him, looking sincerely right into his blue eyes. "It's been a long time since I talked to other people, no one has been around in my previous place."

"I assure you, snow witch, I'm maybe a lot of things but a storyteller is not one of them," he answered coldly, then he started hollering at her, "And I'm not someone who's willing to be kept here by you or anyone else—,"

His words were stopped in the middle by a blow to the back of his head. It was from a bizarre monster made from snow but alive and strong, with a thick bar of ice on his hand. His head almost touched the top lamp of the castle, and his body was as enormous as the front door. But somehow no one noticed his presence, with the exception of the person who called him in the first place. Elsa then bent over the unconscious Hook in front of her, "I should've done it much sooner. Babble exhausts me," she said to the stiffly lying Hook, "Besides, I've got quite a lot of catching up to do."


End file.
